Improvement in cigar-boxes



P. A. TITCOMB. Cigar-Box.

No. 204,634. Patented June 4,1878.

n-PEYERS, PHDTDvLITHOGRPHER. WASHNGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. TITCOMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,634, dated June 4, 1878; application tiled April 5, 1878.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. TIT- GOMB, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cigar-Boxes, which is fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a cigar-box with my improvement, the lid being thrown up; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section ot' the same, taken on' line rv x, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the movable partition, and Fig. 4 detached views of the fastening device by means of which the partition is secured in place.

My invention relates more particularly to sample-boxes for cigars for the use of traveling salesmen, though the improvement can be applied to any cigar-box.

The invention consists in a movable partition inserted in the box, which can be adjusted as cigars are taken out, and secured to the bottom and upper edges of the sides ot' the box in any position required, to hold the remaining cigars in place.

It also consists in the special construction of the partition and device for fastening it to the box.

In selling cigars by sample, it is the custcm of traveling salesmen to carry shallow bdxes of cigars, generally called sampleboxes;7 and, as dealers generally wish to try the cigars, the quantity in the box is continually diminishing. The removal of a few cigars from the box leaves space vacant, so that those remaining will be displaced and shaken about, soon destroying the good appearance of the cigars, and rendering them useless for the purpose of samples.

My invention is intended to obviate this difficulty by keeping the cigars closely packed whatever the quantity.

In the drawings, A represents an ordinary sample-box for cigars, being 'provided with a lid, B. A thin strip, C, of wood or other suitable material, is provided, of a length exactly fitting the width of the box, and as high as its sides. Short narrow strips D, of tin or other suitable meta-1, are cut out and formed at their ends into sharp hooks, the one, d, on one end being bent twice at right angles, or curved, if desired, while the other, d', is bent but once, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. One ot' these metallic strips is attached to each end ofthe partition-strip, being bent around the lower corner, and arranged so that the straight point d will be on the bottom edge of the strip, and the hook or double bent point d at each corner of the upper edge, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This partition-strip is placed in one end of the box. and the latter filled with cigars. As the cigars are taken out the partition is moved up close to those remaining, and fastened in place by pressing it down, when the points d will be forced into the bottom ofthe box and the points d into the upper edges of the sides, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, thereby securing the partition in place and holding the remaining cigars securely in position, however small in quantity.

It will be seen that the cigars may thus be always held as originally packed, and all injury to them by shaking about loosely in the box effectually prevented. The lid, when closed down, will keep the points in the wood, thereby preventing the movement of the partition when the box is closed.

I do not confine myself to the precise devices herein described, as other fastening devices may be substituted, and the partition may, perhaps, be permanently attached to the box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcnt, is-

1. A cigar-box, A, in combination with an adjustable partition, C, provided with devices which engage with the bottom and upper edges of the sides of the box, whereby the partition may be secured in any position to which it may be adjusted, substantially as described.

2. The cigar-box A, in combination with the adjustable partition C and the pointed fastening-strips D, all arranged and operating substantiall y as described.

FREDERICK A. TITCOMB.

Witnesses:

JNO. C. MACGREGOR, W. C. CoRLIEs. 

